We’re not afraid to get real about sexual health. But have you got the low-down on your lady bits?
It’s been a while since we were in awks-inducing sex ed classes labelling fallopian tubes. But even as adults in 2019, we could all stand to learn more about our vaginas. Luckily, it seems they’re quite the hot topic right now. Athletes, such as Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui and fitness guru Kayla ltsines, are candid about how periods affect their performance, while celebs share everything from vagina-steaming pics (Chrissy Teigen, we’re looking at you – doctors advise against it, BTW) to stories of endometriosis. Heck, singer Janelle Monáe even wears vulva-shaped trousers in her music video for Pynk. And we’re 100 percent here for it. So, in the spirit of myth-busting, behold the trivia you never knew you needed to know about your vagina et al. Class is officially in session.
WHAT ACTUALLY COUNTS AS THE VAGINA?
A The stretchy, muscular passageway from the vulva to the cervix.
B Everything going on down there.
C The lips outside the genitals.
ANSWER: A. High-10 if you got this one right: a British survey by The Eve Appeal found 44 percent of women couldn’t point out the vagina on a diagram of the reproductive tract. “People often get mixed up with their vagina and their vulva,” says family-planning specialist Dr Deborah Bateson. So, how can you tell them apart? Think of the vagina as the stretchy, muscular internal passageway from the opening of the vagina to the cervix at the top, which leads to the uterus. Whereas the vulva is the outside part of your genitals, including the inner and outer lips (labia), the clitoris, urethral opening (for pee) and vaginal opening. V enlightening.
How long is the average clitoris?
A 1 to 2cm
B 5 to 6cm
C 9 to 11cm
This story is from the July 2019 edition of Women's Health South Africa.
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This story is from the July 2019 edition of Women's Health South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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